Mayim Bialik
| Mayim Bialik | |
|---|---|
Bialik at the 2011 Gracie Awards
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| Born | Mayim Hoya Bialik December 12, 1975 San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Education | North Hollywood High School |
| Alma mater | UCLA (BS, PhD) |
| Occupation | Actress, neuroscientist |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Spouse(s) | Michael Stone (m. 2003–2012; divorced) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents | John and Barbara Bialik |
| Website | |
| mayimbialik.net | |
Mayim Hoya Bialik (/ˈmaɪəm biˈɑːlɨk/, MY-im bee-AH-lik; born December 12, 1975)[1][2] is an American actress and neuroscientist.[3] From early January 1991 to May 1995, she played the title character of NBC's Blossom. Since May 2010, she has played Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler on CBS's The Big Bang Theory, a role for which she has been nominated three times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.[4]
Contents
Early life and education[edit]
Bialik was born in San Diego, California, to John and Barbara Bialik.[2] Three of her four grandparents emigrated from Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary.[5] Bialik was raised as a Reform Jew.[5]
Bialik attended Walter Reed Junior High School and graduated from North Hollywood High School in North Hollywood, California, as part of the class of 1993.[6] At the end of Blossom, she chose to attend UCLA, although she also had been accepted to both Harvard and Yale.[7][8] She stated that she wanted to stay close to her parents and did not want to move to the East Coast. She earned a B.S. degree in Neuroscience, Hebrew studies, and Jewish studies,[9] and went on to obtain a doctorate in neuroscience. She took a break from studies in 2005 to return to acting.[10] Bialik obtained her Ph.D. degree in 2007.[11] Her dissertation was an investigation of hypothalamic activity in patients with Prader–Willi syndrome, titled, "Hypothalamic regulation in relation to maladaptive, obsessive-compulsive, affiliative, and satiety behaviors in Prader-Willi syndrome."[3][12][13]
Bialik's first name is the Hebrew word for water.[14]
Career[edit]
Bialik started her career as a child actress in the late 1980s. Her early roles included the horror film Pumpkinhead (1988), her first acting job,[15] and guest appearances on The Facts of Life and Beauty and the Beast. It was for her Beauty and the Beast work, in which she played a sewer-dwelling girl named Ellie who had about 10 lines of dialogue, that Bialik obtained her Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card.[16] She appeared in three episodes of MacGyver as Lisa Woodman. She appeared in Beaches (1988), playing Bette Midler's character as a young girl. She also appeared in the video for the song "Liberian Girl" by Michael Jackson.
In 1990, Bialik was tied to two television pilots, Fox's Molloy and NBC's Blossom. Molloy at first produced six episodes for a tryout run, followed by the shooting of the pilot special for Blossom. The latter actually aired two weeks before Bialik's Fox series and ultimately garnered higher ratings than it. When Molloy folded after its six episodes, Blossom was pursued as a regular series, airing until 1995. She had a major part in the Woody Allen comedy film Don't Drink the Water in 1994.
Between 1995 and 2005, Bialik mostly did voice-over work for cartoons, such as The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest and Recess.
She appeared in the feature film Kalamazoo? (2005) and appeared in three episodes of the HBO comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm as Jodi Funkhouser, the lesbian daughter of a friend of Larry David. Bialik also made guest appearances as a fictionalized version of herself in the series Fat Actress, and made a guest appearance in an episode of Saving Grace.[17] She had a recurring role as the high school guidance counselor in ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
In 2009, Bialik was nominated by Clinton Kelly for a makeover on TLC's What Not To Wear.[18]
She joined the cast of The Big Bang Theory as Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler. Her first appearance was in the season 3 finale as a potential love interest for the character of Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons). In Season 5, she began as a recurring character playing Sheldon's "friend that's a girl, but not a girlfriend." Beginning with Season 5, Episode 8, she became part of the main cast.[19] Amy is a neurobiologist, or neuroscientist, which corresponds to Bialik's real-life educational pursuits. Bialik's performance in The Big Bang Theory earned her Emmy Award nominations in 2012, 2013, and 2014 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Bialik was one of seven actresses who had a "quirky" personality to audition for the role.[20]
Prior to her joining the cast, in the episode "The Bat Jar Conjecture", Raj suggests recruiting the real-life Bialik to their Physics Bowl team, saying "You know who's apparently very smart, is the girl who played TV's Blossom. She got a Ph.D. in Neuroscience or something." She is cast as one of the guest stars on the Steve Carell 2014 improvisational sketch show Riot.[21][22][23]
In August 2014, Bialik began hosting a revival of Candid Camera on TV Land alongside Peter Funt.[24]
On March 6, 2012, her book, Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way, was released.[25]
Personal life[edit]
Bialik married Michael Stone on August 31, 2003, in a Victorian-themed ceremony with traditional Jewish customs.[26] Stone was born into a Mormon family and converted to Judaism. Several years later, his mother converted to Judaism as well.[27][28] Bialik and Stone have two sons:
- Miles Roosevelt Bialik Stone (born 2005)
- Frederick Heschel Bialik Stone (born 2008)[29]
In 2010, Bialik returned to television so that she could spend more time with her children and stated, "I'm glad that I completed my PhD and I'm very proud of it, but the life of a research professor would not have suited my needs in terms of what kind of parenting I wanted to do."[20] In November 2012, her marriage ended in divorce.[30]
In a 2012 interview, Bialik stated that she would call herself "aspiring Modern Orthodox".[31] Bialik also has described herself as a "staunch Zionist".[5] During the July-August 2014 Israeli operation in Gaza, she reportedly donated money to the IDF for armored vests.[32] She has appeared in several YouTube cameos as Blossom and Amy Farrah Fowler asking questions about Jewish beliefs.[33] The videos are produced by Allison Josephs, Bialik's Judaism study partner, whom she met with the help of Partners in Torah.[34] Bialik has been criticized for supporting views that go against the findings of science, including anti-vaccine.[35]
Bialik is a celebrity spokesperson for the Holistic Moms Network.[36]
Bialik is a vegan[37] and a founding member of the Shamayim V'Aretz Institute.[38]
Filmography[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Beaches | Young Cecilia "CC" Carol Bloom | |
| 1988 | Pumpkinhead | Wallace kid | |
| 1994 | Don't Drink the Water | Susan Hollander | |
| 2005 | Kalamazoo? | Maggie Goldman | |
| 2011 | Chicago 8, TheThe Chicago 8 | Nancy Kurshan | |
| 2011 | The Dog Who Saved Halloween | Medusa | Voice only |
| 2012 | Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire | Maria | Voice only |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Beauty and the Beast | Ellie | Episode:
|
| 1988 | Facts of Life, TheThe Facts of Life | Jennifer Cole | Episodes:
|
| 1988–1989 | Webster | Frieda | Eight episodes |
| 1989–1990 | Empty Nest | Laurie Kincaid | Episodes:
|
| 1989–1990 | MacGyver | Lisa Woodman | Episodes:
|
| 1990 | Doogie Howser, M.D. | Candace | Episode:
|
| 1990 | Molloy | Molloy Martin | Canceled after seven episodes |
| 1990 | Murphy Brown | Natalie | Episode:
|
| 1990 | The Earth Day Special | Herself | |
| 1990–1995 | Blossom | Blossom Russo |
|
| 1991 | Sea World's Mother Earth Celebration (on Nickelodeon) | Herself | |
| 1992 | Kingdom Chums: Original Top Ten, TheThe Kingdom Chums: Original Top Ten | Petey | |
| 1993 | The Hidden Room | Jillie | Episode:
|
| 1994 | Don't Drink the Water | Susan Hollander | |
| 1994–1995 | John Larroquette Show, TheThe John Larroquette Show | Rachel | Episodes:
|
| 1995–1996 | Adventures of Hyperman, TheThe Adventures of Hyperman | Brittany Bright | Episodes:
Voice only |
| 1996–1999 | Hey Arnold! | Maria | Episodes:
Voice only |
| 1996 | Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, TheThe Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Lucy | Episode:
Voice only |
| 1996 | Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, TheThe Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Julia/French Woman | Episode:
Voice only |
| 1997–2001 | Recess | Kirsten Kurst | Episodes:
Voice only |
| 1997 | Johnny Bravo | Tour Guide | Episode:
Voice only |
| 1997 | Extreme Ghostbusters | Girl in Future | Episode:
Voice only |
| 1998 | Welcome to Paradox | Rita | Episode:
|
| 2003 | 7th Heaven | Cathy | Episode:
|
| 2003–2004 | Kim Possible | Justine Flanner | Episodes:
Voice only |
| 2005 | Katbot | Paula | Voice only |
| 2005 | Fat Actress | Herself | Episodes:
|
| 2005–2007 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Jodi Funkhauser | Episodes:
|
| 2009 | Saving Grace | Esther | Episode:
|
| 2009 | What Not To Wear | Herself | |
| 2009 | Bones | Genie Gormon | Episode:
|
| 2009 | 'Til Death | Herself | Episodes:
|
| 2010 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Dr. Wilameena Bink | Episodes:
|
| 2010–present | Big Bang Theory, TheThe Big Bang Theory | Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler |
Guest role: Season 3
Main role: Season 4–Present |
| 2014–present | Candid Camera | Herself |
Host
|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | X2: Wolverine's Revenge | Bush Pilot, May Deuce | Voice only |
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Result | Category | Award Show | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Won | Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Fantasy | Young Artist Award |
| 1990 | Nominated | Best Young Actress Guest Starring in a Television Series | |
| 1992 | Nominated | Best Young Actress in a New Television Series | |
| 1993 | Nominated | Outstanding Young Comedian in a Television Series | |
| 2012–2014 | Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Primetime Emmy Award |
| Nominated | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Screen Actors Guild Award | |
| 2012 | Nominated | Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Satellite Award |
| 2014 | Nominated | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | Screen Actors Guild Award |
| Nominated | Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Critics' Choice Television Awards |
Bibliography[edit]
- Bialik, Mayim; Jay Gordon (Introduction) (2012). Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way. Touchstone. ISBN 978-1451662184. [39]
- Bialik, Mayim; Dr. Jay Gordon (2014). Mayim's Vegan Table: More Than 100 Great-Tasting and Healthy Recipes from My Family to Yours. Da Capo Lifelong Books. ISBN 978-0738217048.[40]
References[edit]
- ^ "Mayim H Bialik - California, Birth Index". FamilySearch. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ a b "Mayim Bialik". TV Guide. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ a b Bialik, Mayim C. "Hypothalamic regulation in relation to maladaptive, obsessive-compulsive, affiliative, and satiety behaviors in Prader-Willi syndrome" (PhD Diss., UCLA, 2007).
- ^ Russo, G. (2012). "Turning point: Mayim Bialik. Actress makes the shift from television to neuroscience and then back again". Nature 485 (7400): 669–669. doi:10.1038/nj7400-669a.
- ^ a b c Stein, Jason (2011). "Big Bang Theory star thought she was auditioning for a game show". Jewish Telegraph. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- ^ Kleid, Beth (February 8, 1993). "Television". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
- ^ Carter, Alan (1993-07-16). "Blossom Flowers: Mayim Bialik Grows into Adult Roles". Ew.com. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- ^ Mayim Bialik; Playing the Role Of an American in Paris Michael E. Hill; The Washington Post; Sep 19, 1993; Y.07;
- ^ Biography - official website of Mayim Bialik
- ^ "Alumni Stories – Notable Alumni". Uclalumni.net. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- ^ "Biography". Mayim Bialik. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ "Hypothalamic regulation in relation to maladaptive, obsessive-compulsive, affiliative, and satiety behaviors in Prader-Willi syndrome (Book, 2007)". [WorldCat.org]. 1999-02-22. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
- ^ "Life After Child Stardom – Not by the Numbers". Abcnews.go.com. 2006-11-24. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- ^ King, Larry (6 May 2014). "Mayim Bialik & Melissa Rauch" (Video interview). Larry King Now. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ Pierce, Leonard (2009-01-28). "Mayim Bialik: Random Roles". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
- ^ "How Did You Get Your SAG-AFTRA Card?" TV Guide. January 13, 2014. p. 10.
- ^ "Mayim Bialik Learns What Not to Wear". Celebrity-babies.com. 2010-11-15. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- ^ [1], additional text.
- ^ Ausiello, Michael (2010-11-15). "'Bang Theory' ups Mayim Bialik to Regular". deadline.com. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
- ^ a b Perricone, Kathleen (2012-08-28). "Why Mayim Bialik returned to TV after getting her PhD | Goddess: Celebrity Moms and Dads - Yahoo Celebrity". Omg.yahoo.com. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ Kroeger, Jake (April 8, 2014). "Fox Improv Show RIOT Will Feature Steve Carell, Jason Alexander, Cheryl Hines". Nerdist. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Geddes, Robin (April 8, 2014). "Steve Carell, Big Bang Theory's Mayim Bialik for new Fox series Riot". Digital Spy. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Swift, Andy (April 8, 2014). "Exclusive: Steve Carell and Cheryl Hines Among Celebrity Guests in Fox Improv Series Riot". TV Line. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ "‘Big Bang Theory’ Star Mayim Bialik to Host ‘Candid Camera’ Reboot". TheWrap. July 24, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ^ Weaver, Stephanie (March 5, 2012). "Actress Mayim Bialik writes book on 'attachment parenting'". USA Today.
- ^ "Featured Wedding: Mayim Bialik & Mike Stone". Jewishweddingnetwork.com. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- ^ Bialik, Mayim (2011-03-09). "Mayim Bialik's Husband, Mike, was a Mormon | Raising Kvell". Kveller.com. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ Bialik, Mayim. "From Mormon to Jew - Kveller, Jewish Family & Children". Kveller.com. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ Allin, Olivia (May 21, 2012). "Mayim Bialik talks about attachment parenting, sharing a family bed". ontheredcarpet.com.
- ^ ""Big Bang Theory" star Mayim Bialik and husband to divorce after nine years". CBS News. 23 November 2012.
- ^ Cohen, Marla (May 2012). "Geek Love, Parenting, and Judaism". Jewish Federation of Rockland County.
- ^ "‘Big Bang’ star Mayim Bialik helps send bulletproof vests to IDF". The Washington Times. 2013-07-30.
- ^ "'Science vs. Religion: Mayim Bialik and the Other Big Bang Theory', Jew in the City". Jewinthecity.com. 2011-10-31. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ May 20, 2009 (2009-05-20). "Mayim Bialik to Guest Star on a Very Special Jew in the City!". Jewinthecity.com. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ Marziah. "Mayim Bialik, You Disappoint Me". Wired. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
- ^ "Meet Mayim Bialik: Actress and Holistic Mom". Holisticmoms.org. 2009-07-07. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- ^ "Exclusive: Mayim Bialik Gets Her Eco On At The Go Green Expo In Los Angeles". Ecorazzi.com. 2010-01-20. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- ^ "The Shamayim V'Aretz Institute - A Center For Jewish Spirituality and Leadership - Leadership". Shamayimvaretz.com. 2013-03-21. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ "About the book - BEYOND THE SLING". Mayimbialik.net. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
- ^ "Mayim's Vegan Table". Mayimbialik.net. 2014-01-19. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
External links[edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mayim Bialik. |
- Official website
- The Official Mayim Bialik Blog
- Mayim Bialik on Twitter
- Mayim Bialik at the Internet Movie Database
- Mayim Bialik at AllMovie
- UCLA Alumni Story for Mayim Bialik ’00, PhD.’07
- Hypothalamic regulation in relation to maladaptive, obsessive-compulsive, affiliative, and satiety behaviors in Prader-Willi syndrome
|
- 1975 births
- 20th-century American actresses
- 21st-century American actresses
- Actresses from San Diego, California
- American child actresses
- American film actresses
- American neuroscientists
- American people of Czech descent
- American people of Hungarian descent
- American people of Polish descent
- American television actresses
- American voice actresses
- American Zionists
- Ashkenazi Jews
- Baalei teshuva
- Jewish American actresses
- Jewish American musicians
- Jewish American scientists
- Living people
- University of California, Los Angeles alumni